Dec 18, 2014 4 min read

PITTSBURGH – The days of NFL teams lining up and playing similar styles of offense are long gone.

Seemingly every team has its own style or way of attacking defenses, each with its own special challenges.

The Kansas City Chiefs’ offense is particularly troublesome.

With most teams using offenses that rely on passing, the Chiefs (8-6) are an enigma, one the Steelers (9-5) must solve Sunday if they are to clinch a playoff berth.

While quarterback Alex Smith has thrown 18 touchdown passes, none have been to a wide receiver. It’s the first time in NFL history a team has gone 14 games into a season without a wide receiver catching a touchdown pass.

Running backs Jamaal Charles and Knile Davis combined for 15 rushing and six receiving touchdowns, and tight ends Tavis Kelce and Anthony Fasano have nine touchdowns.

For the Steelers, who have given up three receiving scores to opposing running backs and 10 to tight ends, it’s not an ideal matchup.

“They’re definitely a challenge,” said Steelers inside linebacker Vince Williams. “We’re going to have to play great team defense. That’s what it’s going to take.”

Kansas City is one of five NFL teams that average fewer than 200 passing yards per game, relying instead on short passes and the running game.

Charles, in particular, will challenge the Steelers.

“He’s just an incredibly versatile player,” said Smith. “A guy who does it all for us and is able to do it all. You name it, he does it – run, catch, short-yardage, goal-line, two-minute. The guy does it all. We ask a lot of him … and he does a great job with it.”

Though he was slowed by a foot injury that limited him to nine carries in the first two games of the season and other nagging injuries, Charles rushed for 950 yards and caught 33 passes for another 235 yards. His 14 touchdowns are tied with Seattle’s Marshawn Lynch for the most in the league.

“He’s a great back,” said Steelers defensive coordinator Dick LeBeau. “He’s dangerous, and they don’t have to block everybody. If they can just hold them for a little bit, he gets a crease and he can do the rest.”

The Steelers rank 11th in the NFL against the run, allowing 103.6 yards per game, but their 4.5 yards per carry is 27th in the league.

“By no means is it where we would like it to be,”‘ said linebacker James Harrison, who is expected to return to the Steelers’ lineup Sunday after sitting out two games with a knee injury.

Pittsburgh’s pass defense has been its Achilles’ heel – allowing 15 plays of 40 or more yards – but it’s the run defense that ofers the telling statistic. The Steelers have been particularly bad against the run in their five losses, allowing more than 134 yards in each of those games.

When opponents are running the ball effectively against the Steelers, they are keeping Pittsburgh’s offense, which ranks first in the NFL in total yards, standing on the sideline.

“We work the best when the offense is complimenting the defense and the defense is complimenting the offense,” said Steelers linebacker Arthur Moats. “We want to be a unit that works with our offense, getting off the field, scoring, forcing turnovers and scoring off of them or setting up scores. When we do that, we’re tough to beat.”

Safety Troy Polamalu (knee) and tight end Matt Spaeth (elbow) missed their second consecutive day of practice. Wide receiver Markus Wheaton was out Thursday because of an illness. … Safety Mike Mitchell (groin) and center Maurkice Pouncey (ankle) returned to full practice. … The Steelers announced they will continue to subsidize a free ride service to the North Shore for the next two years via LRT service from the downtown area.